This might be end up being a long one~
*sends love to those who actually read all of it*

/>It's winter.  And while that signifies a change in the weather--not only does the temperature drop significantly, but the beautiful trees lose their leaves and, if lucky, we are graced with the presence of soft white fluff otherwise known as snow.  Winter, for most people (and especially myself), also represents a slew of colds, fevers, the flu, and lots of suffering while you sit in class with a runny nose and pounding headache and not enough sleep.

However, winter also means winter sports.  Which means fencing season.  Which means I am in a lot of pain.

Having not exercised since....oh say last winter's fencing season, naturally I'm rather out of shape (along with the rest of the girl's team, save two or three hardcore fencers who spend all their free time at Medeo, the fencing club near us, with our fencing coach).

So, for tryouts (which last for three weeks), we have to run for fifteen minutes.  I have exercise-induced asthma (due to a long bout with pneumonia and bronchitis, which I manged to get at the SAME TIME), so while everyone else runs around the school I get to run around the gym so the coaches make sure I stop when I can't breathe in case I get an asthma attack, stop breathing, and possibly end up in the hospital.  Having asthma sucks.

Then, after we stretch, we get to do fencing drills.
This means standing in this position, called "en garde" (the girl on the right) for most of the time (except we're wearing normal clothes because we aren't actually fencing):



Everyone has different fencing styles...while in the "official en garde" position, you're supposed to have your left hand up so that it makes a sort of  L or C shape, most people have their hand down.  For me, my left arm is down but bent at the elbow.  Because I mean...holding your arm up like that defies gravity and your muscles start to hurt....

Anyway, being in that position above for a long time DOES actually start to hurt.  Try it if you don't believe me.  And we have to do this exercise where we start in that position, and then go lower, and lower, and lower, and lower, in very small increments but we have to hold the position for awhile each time we get lower.  And then do the same thing after we can't go any lower, except this time we go up up up up.  THAT REALLY HURTS.   Again, if you don't believe me, TRY IT.

We also do this exercise where we have to advance and squat or , even worse, squat and lunge.  Squats have become one of my greatest fears.  Try being in the en garde position, then bending your knees and dropping down so your in a squat (but your feet have not moved), and then rising back up to your original position.  Sound easy? Try doing it a few times.  You'll never want to do it again.  I have to do it about 100 times.
And a lunge looks something like this (the guy on the left):



Couldn't find a picture of a squat XD
But doing a lunge from a squat hurts.
What hurts even MORE is having to do a high jump from a squat.  Squat, then use all your energy to jump as HIGH as you can and bring your legs up as close to your body as possible.  Do that 50 times and let me know how you feel.

We also do these drills where, for 3 minutes, we have have to make small jumps back and forth.  Omg the pain T_T
Try it. Let me know how your legs feel afterwards.

Needless to say, my leg muscles are extremely sore (especially my thighs) and I'm popping Advil like crazy.
Walking down the stairs it the WORST.  Because...I physically CANNOT do it.
The other day, I just turned around, got on my belly, and slid myself down the stairs.  MY LEGS REFUSE TO BEND.
When I want to sit down, instead of slowly easing myself into a chair like I'm supposed to, I fall into it with a resounding crash.

And my arms hurt from doing a million push-ups, and my abs and stomach hurts from doing a million sit-ups and crunches.
T_T  It really sucks.  And pretty much everyone is in this much pain too. 

But once tryouts are over and they pick people for the team, it should get better, because you actually start fencing, which means less drills, which means less pain.  I go through this EVERY YEAR...

And its the weekend, so now my muscles can recuperate.  I took the longest hot shower the other day, just spraying the hot water on my thighs, and then gave myself a nice long massage XD



Aside from fencing, life still sucks.
I have so much work to do and my teachers seem to be completely unaware that I have other classes besides theirs.
Plus I have a million college applications to finish...

And I have my college interview with Brown University on Wednesday.
It's in this really casual family restaurant/diner place...
I have no clue what to wear.
I also have no clue what to expect.
*dies* I'm so nervous.  SO NERVOUS.

I'm also starving....
I really should eat something.  Just got off the phone with my twin (I aloe you <3) and she's like "GO EAT"!  It's 3:30 PM and I haven't eaten anything since I woke up at 9:30 AM (which was sooo nice because that means I got 7 hours of sleep!  7 HOURS!!! <3333)
So yeah...I'm gonna go grab something and start fooding ^O^
Because my stomach is rumbling like crazy XD


BUT BEFORE I GO!!!!

HERE'S A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING CHRISTMAS CARDS FROM ME (Okay they're actually going to be more like letters because I don't have enough money to spend 5 dollars on Christmas cards for everyone AND pay for the postage as well...hope you don't mind~)  The list is in alphabetical order.
If you aren't on the list but would like one, let me know ^O^~  Email: aishiteruyamapi@yahoo.com

alchemist_rants
bigmow
catheryngan
cherryaddict1
closetchild_
dreaming_nagi13
dymed_angel
hachichan86
j_halo7
kamelover64
kenken18
misoyo
nbontuyan
solarplexis
starfallxd
ueda_fangirl
yuxo



Have a great day everyone!
And don't forget to Cherish NewS~
<3 Yamapi love ^O^

-Love you all~ Moonie <3